Nkandla – A few hours after she was appointed to act as the country’s chief justice and effectively the head of the Constitutional Court, Judge Sisi Khampepe is already facing criticism and scrutiny from the Zuma family.
On Thursday, one of the prominent members of the family who often speaks on its behalf, Edward Zuma, said as the country waits to see how the ConCourt would rule in the matter between former President Jacob Zuma and the Zondo commission, they are resigned to the fate that the top judge “would jail the president (Zuma).”
The Zondo Commission, which is probing allegations of state capture during the nine-year presidency of Zuma between 2009 and 2018, wants the ex-head of state jailed for two years for defying its summons.
Giving a background of their fears, Edward who spoke to Independent Media outside his father’s spacious home in Nkandla, said Khampepe has “always been hostile” to Zuma and now that she is at the helm, she will jail him.
“It is known that Judge Khampepe does not like Msholozi at all. So Khampepe has a hatred for Zuma. She hates him with a passion, their history does not sit well. We are obviously expecting her to sign whatever document wanted by Zuma’s detractors,” he claimed.
Still on the issue of the court, Zuma’s son said it would be surprising to them to see the Concourt issue custodial sentence as its duty is to interpret the constitution, not to jail people. However, he said should it do so and breach its mandate, they are ready to fight “until they break their legs in defence of (former) president Zuma”.
“The Constitutional Court does not have the authority to hand down a judgment like that, so it would puzzle us to see it issuing a custodial sentence as it is there to resolve constitutional disputes and to interpret the constitution. That is known and should they do it, it would be the first time for it to happen, Concourt handing a sentence? Never! It has never done before,” Edward said.
Regarding the presence of MK (Umkhonto we Sizwe) veterans who have pitched a tent outside Nkandla and continuously patrolling the home of the former president, Edward said they have been there for almost three months and there is nothing hidden about their presence.
Political Bureau